Vehicle lighting system



April 2, 946. w. c. MElNERDlNG VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 11, 1944 FIG. 1.

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. I We 51 a QC, Mei ner' ding ,ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 2, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEM Wesley C. Meinerding, Canton, Ohio Application February 11, 1944, Serial No. 521,993

3 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle lighting and more particularly to an anti-glare lighting system for motor vehicles.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lamp, disposed underneath the vehicle chassis, adapted to project light rays longitudinally and laterally of the vehicle, but toward the surface travelled upon by the vehicle.

Another important object is to provide an auxiliary lamp for a headlights-equipped vehicle, so disposed that the eyesight of a person in front of the vehicle is not focused upon the generally blinding headlights, but is directed to the light from the auxiliary lamp, beneath the vehicle. With the headlights glare less noticed, the operator of a vehicle can better determine the location of an on-coming vehicle equipped with the novel'auxiliary lamp.

Still another important object is to provide an auxiliary vehicle lamp, which projects light rays to either side of a vehicle, rearwardly of the front of the vehicle, and beneath the vehicle. Thus, curbing, shoulders and objects at the sides of the road are illuminated and tire changes and the like may be made by this light.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan of the new lamp.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section upon substantially the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section upon substantially the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section and elevation of the novel lamp, showing one method of attaching it to a vehicle chassis.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a motor Vehicle equipped with the novel lamp.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the same vehicle.

In the drawing wherein, for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may designate a vehicle; B, the novel lamp; and C, means for attachlng the lamp B to the vehicle A.

The vehicle A is shown as a motor truck [0,

having a chassis ll, wheels l2, headlights l3, and windshield wipers l4, provided with conventional means (not shown) for operating the latter.

As for the novel lamp B, the same'includes a casing or housing I5 having an arcuate front wall I6, rear wall l'l, joining the front wall l6 and a substantially flat top or upper Wall 8, joining the front and rear walls. There is no bottom wall as the casing is open at its bottom. The rear wall ll extends toward the front wall l6 intermediate its ends, defining a recess 20 accommodating a housing for a wiper mechanism to be subsequently described. Extending outwardly from the front wall l6, at its bottom edge is a flange 2! provided with a plurality of spacedapart screw-threaded openings 22.

It will be noted in Figs. 2 and 3 that a recess 23 is provided in the flange 2| at its inner end for accommodating both a transparency 25 and the flange 26 of a reflector 21.

The transparency 25 may be a sheet of glass. plastic or the like. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it

is stepped as at 28, so that a shoulder 29 is provided and this fits into the recess 23, with the body of the transparency extending from the shoulder 29 being of less area than the remainder of the same.

Means for retaining the transparency in place comprises a rim 30 arcuate in its front portion 3| and conforming there to the flange 2!. This rim extends over the flange 2| and the shoulder 29 of the transparency 25 and has screw-threaded openings 32 aligning with the' openings 22. Suitable screws 33 may be employed to detachably secure the rim 30 to the flange 2|. This rim extends, also, over the wiper mechanism housing. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the outer surface of the transparency 25 and outer surface of the rim 30 are in the same horizontal plane.

Depending from the rim 30 is a shield or guard 34 which comprises a substantially vertical arcu ate wall 35 extending from a position intermediate the arcuate outer edge 36 and arcuate inner edge 31 of the rim 31!. The wall 35 may have a substantially flat lower face 38 and this wall provides means to shield the transparency from splash, as it has a considerable depth (and is not in the nature of a head or narrow flange). It also protects the wiper blade tobe subsequently cle- F scribed.

Housed in the casing l5 and above the transparency 25 is a substantially conical reflector 21, having an outwardly-extending flange 26 at its lower edge, with this flange 26 in the recess 23 and next above the transparency 25. The apex 4B of the reflector preferably abuts the top wall It, and is thus retained against excessive vibration.

Carried by the reflector 21 is an. electric lamp socket 4| accommodating the base 42 of a conventional electric lamp 43. This socket M is supported by the rearmost portion of the reflector wall, so that the lamp faces toward the front of the lamp casing l5. Because of the arcuate inner edge 31 and arcuate wall 35, the light rays define an arcuate illuminated area to the front and sides of a vehicle, when the novel lamp is properly.positioned. Of course there is also an illuminated area to the rear of the vehicle. Any suitable means, as the two wire conductor 44, may

be employedoto operatively connectthelarnp 43 with a conventional'source of electric energy.

Associated with the casing I is a, wiper, in-

eluding a conventional wiper mechanism 45 housed within a suitable housing 46 at the rear of the casing l5 and within the recessi20. T'The may be'employed-to. attach-or securethe lamp B to avh'icle A. i This may include ashort bar 55 having one-endsecured-as by ascrew-56 to any suitable portionatasithe top wall- [8 of the casing l5 and: its other end secured,-.as- -by a bolt 5? and nut 58 to-a-ny suitableaportion of therchassis H of the truck= l0..-.:In the example. shown, one of the several pairs of flanges .extending'over the lower portion of-the chassis-is employed.

Preferably,- thenovel -lamp- B is positioned intermediate the front and rear zends of themehicle, in a position sothat the wheels I2 will not seriously interfere with. the. raysof light, and disposedalongthelongitudinal medialline of the vehicleas-shown in Figs. 5 and 6. SQ'POSitiOHEd, an arcuate lighted area willextend over theroad or othersurface,outwardly beyond. the frontand sides of the vehicle and there will be an illuminated .a-reaof-surface under andnto .therear 0f the vehicle, as is apparent in Figs. 5..and.6. Even with the main :vehicleheadlights 4| 3,1ighted, the eyesof: an approaching.v person will focus upon the rays; fromLtheJamp .0. "Since. the lamp C is positionedso-low-that the electric'lamp-43 will not be seen, and-itsrays are. directed toward the roadsurface there will .be no blinding glare from, thelamp B.

.The wipenmechanism Aimay be operatively connected,- in anymonventional .or approved way with the mechanism. operatingthe windshield Wipers I4.

Splash fromthe wheels -52 is not apt toreach thetransparencyl .due to the depending guard 34 but, irit. does,.the 'wiperswab 5! will wipeit away andupon thereanward portion of the rim 39, .(since the lowermostsurfaces oft-he rim and -.transparency..25 .are inthe same horizontal plane), wheriorwardmovement .of the vehicle will tend to cause the accumulation of splash material to move rearwardly and finally pass over the rear end of the lamp housing, since there is no depending guard wall there.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

:" housing fan:arcuatagdepending wall carried by said rim, inwardly of the outer edge thereof and transparency including a wiperv arm disposed in wardly of the horizontal plane of vthelowerrnost edge of said depending arcuate. walland a pivot forsaid arm disposed radjacentsaid .rear wan, a conical reflectorv within said housing andanj electriclamp carried'by said reflector and facing toward saidarcua-te walls.

2. In anauxiliarylamp for a motor vehicle, a housing having-an arcuate: front wall, a rear wall 345; joining said .front wall'and. a downwardly-directed opening, a substantially. horizontally-disposed transparency. in .said opening, means securing saidtransparency insaid .opening including a rim over'theedge. portions'thereof,.-.an arcuate, depending wall. carriedJby said rim,..-in-

wardly of .the. outer .edge. thereof and. adjacent said transparency, wiper. .meansiornsaid transparency, including a wiper arm disposed inwardly .of the horizontalplane of. thelowermostedge 40 of said' depending. arcuate walland a. .pivot for said arm disposed adjacent.- said .rear wall, a ..reflector within said housing. and. .an electric lamp carried by: said reflecton-and. facing toward said arcuate walls.

3. In an auxiliary lamp casing/for. a. vehicle, a housing having .an- .arcuate .front wall,. a :rear walljoining saidzf-ront :wallwand a downwardlydirectedopening, asubstantially horizontallydisposed transparency in said opening, meanssecuring said transparency in said -.opening,. including a .rimnover the edge Tportions'thereof. a.:depending wall. carried by. said rim, spaced from the outer edge thereof: and from-said'transparency, wiper means for saidtransparency, including a wiper arm and a-rpivot thEI'BfOI,.SaiQ'DiVOtwBX- ing with said electriclamp.facingtowardsaid arcuate walls. WESLEY C. MEINERDIN G.

- adjacent said transparency, wiper means for said 

